


Another Beginning

by AbientEcho



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, And also because I love Sai and this fandom neglects him, And also because I love Sakura, And do it right, Angst and Feels, BAMF Haruno Sakura, BAMF Sai, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, Canon is dead and gone, Danzo is extra terrible, Dark Uzumaki Naruto, F/M, It's still dead though lmfao, M/M, Mild Gore, Minato just wants his son back, Multi, Mute! Uzumaki Naruto, Namikaze Minato Lives, Naruto Centric, OOC-ness, On Hiatus, Polyamory, Root Uzumaki Naruto, Sai just wants friends, Sakura is usually a sweetheart, Slow Burn, Smart Uzumaki Naruto, Some Humor, Split personality! Sakura, Team Love and Stuff, This story was written for the sole purpose of seeing if I could write a neglect fic like this, Uzumaki Kushina Lives, naruto is trying, this is dark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:28:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26609038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbientEcho/pseuds/AbientEcho
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze was the secret third child of Minato Namikaze and his esteemed wife, Kushina Uzumaki. On the birthday of the triplets, the seal on the stomach of Kushina shattered, causing Nine-Tails to break free. In fear for his newborn children, Minato Namikaze was ready to perform the infamous Reaper Death Seal to lock it away again. The previous hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, took his place instead, sealing the fox into Minato’s eldest triplet, Naruto. After that painful night, Minato and Kushina took extra care to ensure that word of their jinchuuriki son never got out. For his own safety, he was kept hidden away from most people. This unfortunate decision left their eldest son emotionally and socially stunted, lonely, and yearning for more. His siblings Noriko and Menma, on the other hand, received any leftover attention his parent’s had. Kushina spent time aiding her hokage husband with menial tasks and paperwork, while he was in charge of strengthening Konoha.  And Naruto was kept away in his room, isolated yet safe from the world.So what happens when the lonely, naive Naruto meets Danzo Shimura?How does induction into ROOT change the boy, and how did it change him so drastically?
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Sai, Haruno Sakura/Uzumaki Naruto/Sai, Sai/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 16
Kudos: 109





	1. Always the Exception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 8 year old Naruto Uzumaki has began to understand the truth behind why his siblings are treated differently, and why his father plans to enroll him in the shinobi academy two years later than his siblings.

Naruto had known something about him wasn’t right.

His parent’s had made that quite clear, despite it being a sore topic for his parents. Unfortunately or not, the boy had quickly realized what about him was different. Or rather, it did not take him long to discern which of his differences was the problem. It was not his hair, which was not the soft red of Kushina or the electric yellow of his father. Unlike his siblings, his hair was a blend of the two colors, landing in a distinctive bright orange. It was not the whisker marks on his cheeks, which neither of his siblings possessed. It was certainly not his lack of social skills, the solace he took from reading, or his desire to be a powerful ninja. No, it was that seal on his stomach. The eight year old knew that inky black mark held the reason for his mistreatment. He had badgered his parents with questions regarding the strange shape. And yet, everytime, he would get similar answers.  
“I’ll explain it all when you’re older.”

  
“It’s a very important seal.”

  
“It’s there to protect you, and us.”

  
“Just wait until you’re twelve, then we will tell you everything.”

But the most telling part of his family’s reaction, was the look in their blue and lavender eyes, respectively. His father’s blue eyes always seemed to glaze over, just slightly. Those sapphire irises seemed to fill with a flurry of emotions, and Naruto could only place a few. Guilt, knowledge, consideration, hesitance, and sadness.  
His mother’s eyes were the same, but the guilt he always saw lingering was much stronger. He saw something in her eyes akin to failure, bubbling just below the surface. Whatever the secret behind the seal was, it was something big.  
And he managed to crack it, all on his own.  
Naruto had never considered himself the smartest boy, he certainly was no Shikaku or even Minato, but his constant reading lended him a hand. He started with researching seals, which his mother excitedly allowed. She seemed happy he wanted to learn the Uzumaki art of fuuinjutsu, so she lended him scrolls behind the back of his father.  
Both of them knew his father was adamant that Naruto could not learn any of the shinobi art’s until he was twelve. He gave many reasons, citing maturity, readiness, safety, and more.  
But Naruto knew it was the seal causing his hesitancy, the other reasons were just silly. For whatever reason, his mother didn’t agree with Minato in regards to his reasons either. They had many spats regarding it, which Naruto always.. Overheard.

  
Yes, he overheard them. He certainly did not eavesdrop…

  
He threw himself into his secret study of seals, learning the types and their differences. The ginger boy even began practicing his calligraphy in anticipation of one day practicing them. After all, the only other things he had to do were self-defense training and his required reading. It only took a few mere months for Naruto to discover the specifics of the seal on his abdomen.  
For one thing, it was a containment seal. And whatever it held, it was strong. This kind of seal required so much chakra, it would certainly kill whoever cast it. It was intricate, yet clearly rushed. It had certain, openings..? No, that wasn’t the right word.. More like, the seal allowed for something to flow. He could also see that these openings were closely connected to his chakra systems. So, the seal held back something and tied it to his chakra, but what?  
Then he began more research, he had to find out what required such a strong seal. He found a textbook in his father’s private library, which detailed the existence of creatures called Bijuu. Bijuu are demons made of chakra, which can be sealed into strong-blooded people. His fingers traced the edges of the aged paper, flipping it and moving on. He couldn’t help the sickly feeling that rose in his stomach as his eyes took in every word. Bijuu. There are nine of them, each one stronger than the last. Their strength is shown in the amount of tails each beast possesses. Naruto felt his blood run ice-cold, his indigo eyes wide in fear. He flipped another page, there wasn’t much more information to be found on these beasts, besides one major fact.

  
“Jinchuuriki, the containers of Bijuu, are often made jailors of these demons while young. If the jinchuuriki is a newborn, the bijuu will often leave a physical imprint on their jailer.” Naruto slammed the book shut, shoving it back into its place on the shelf.  
It had to be true.

  
He had something within him, he was certain. He’d always wondered about the slight points on his ears, the claw-like shape of his nails, the whisker marks on his cheeks.. His siblings, his parent’s friends, none of them had marks like him. And to his knowledge, none of them had an eight-trigram seal on their stomach. Eight-trigram seals were not trivial, it would not be there without a purpose. He needed more answers. Why? Why is there a beast within him? Who put it there?! Why didn’t his parents tell him? This had to be the reason. The reason his parent’s trained his siblings and not him. The reason he was kept away from the village, from everyone besides his parent’s friends. The reason his siblings would be entering the academy in two years at least, but he had to wait four. His fists balled up at his sides, clenched in rage.  
  
Jinchuuriki. It was a word he had just learned today, and he was one. Jinchuuriki are weapons, according to his book.  
They were a force to be reckoned with. But him? Naruto was neither of those things, though he always longed to be. He wished he were strong, he wished he was a force. Instead, he was the lonely, longing, secluded boy. He was made a jinchuuriki, but he did not fit the part. He didn’t know much regarding his stamina, or his chakra reserves. He certainly was not a weapon. Naruto realized then that he was always the exception.

Always. The. Exception.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapter notes are being weird.... I could've sworn I put a note here already. ANYWHOOO, I'd like to apologize for how rushed this first chapter is. The next few are going to be kind of rushed as well, considering they exist to show you the steps leading towards what really defines this story.  
> Thanks for reading,  
> XOXO
> 
> (Sorry if my chapter notes turn out terrible, I have no idea why its being all buggy.)


	2. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto lets his parent's know that he knows the truth, and they aren't happy.  
> The eight year old isn't too happy either, truthfully.

Last night, when Naruto had made his grand discovery, he had stormed from the office straight to his bedroom. He allowed himself to simmer in his thoughts, letting his emotions bubble up and fizz out. Eventually he resolved to punching the trees outside the estate his family lived in, to release his urge for destruction.

Naruto Uzumaki had tried to be logical like his father, but his hot-bloodedness had definitely been inherited from his mother.

With a scowl etched across his face, he returned to his family home. In a way, that house felt like a prison. He could hardly ever leave the house, so going back inside without being dragged was… Something else. It was like a criminal putting on their own handcuffs.

He didn’t bother to go to dinner that night, he was too angry to face his parent’s. Truthfully, who wouldn’t be?

  
  


So many aspects of his life had been affected by their poorly-made decision. Naruto had no friends, surely Mikoto Uchiha and Shikaku Nara did not count. Those were his parent’s friends. His siblings paid him little notice, he did not capture their childish fascination. 

He supposed his lack of social skills made it hard for them to interact with him, anyway. They were still much more immature than him. At times, Naruto felt like an adult. He was included in adult discussions, he did more chores than his siblings, and he was not coddled in the ways they were. And even though he was not being specially tutored by Kushina like his siblings were, his self-defense training was much more extensive than anything they were learning. Physically, he was much stronger. (The way he could damage those trees without use of chakra showed that, although his hands were covered in splinters and scrapes..) 

  
His mother was more focused on teaching Menma and Noriko about weaponry, general concepts, and occasionally katas or chakra control exercises. (Which, Naruto hadn’t even been allowed to work with his chakra yet.) The most notable of their differences, was that his siblings attended the local school. Not to be confused with the academy, this was more like a preschool for children to be a part of, future ninja and civilian alike.

An optional precursor to the academy, available for anyone.

Anyone, besides him, of course.. 

His dark blue eyes stared out his window, the sky was painted in blues and dull grays descending into soft pinks and oranges as the sun went down. The pleasant chirping of birds was slowly fading as the late afternoon transitioned into the evening. Even though he felt that angry sensation stirring beneath his skin, the sunset brought him peace. Konoha was an absolutely beautiful place, it was easy for Naruto to see why so many died to protect it.

Many shinobi had dedicated their lives to this village, and Naruto was determined to do the same.

Even if he was angry at his family now, he still loved them. He would still protect them, especially his siblings. After all, that's what older siblings are for.

A series of inpatient knocks on his door roused him from his thoughts, prompting him to rise from his bed and tear his eyes away from the window. A longing sigh escaped his lips as he went to open the door, already knowing who’d be waiting behind it.. 

Despite his love for them, Naruto was thankful he did not share a room with his two siblings, they were always obnoxious and energy ridden. It was like screaming and being general nuisances, were their favorite pastimes. He could never get any reading done if he were roomed with them…. But, that isn’t to say he wouldn’t enjoy jumping around and acting a fool with them.

Naruto Uzumaki was actually quite the prankster, a master one at that. There was a reason his siblings constantly ended up receiving blame for pranks they didn’t commit.. But that was something he’d never admit.

His hand connected with the metal door-knob, and with a slight twist, he yanked it open. There stood the twins, inseparable as always. Noriko and Menma. He looked over the pair, his sister, Noriko, was shorter than him but taller than his brother. Yet, both remained shorter than him.

Noriko’s eyes were the same bright blue as their father's, holding the same color and calculative stare. _Or_ , as calculative as a child can be. and her long hair held the same unruly quality, as well. It quirked up around her head, spikey everywhere except for her messy bangs and high ponytail.

As for his brother, he had their father's bright blonde hair. Menma stood by his sister’s side, his round violet eyes shimmering with childish joy and an odd determination. He was just as energetic as his twin sister, though he tended to be more foul-mouthed and foolhardy. The shirt he wore was a lavender, just a few shades brighter than the purple in his iris. The boy had two hair clips in his wild blonde hair, taming it only a fraction.

Naruto fought the urge to cackle when he noticed how his mother made them wear clothes matching their eyes. At least he wasn’t subjected to all.. That.

“Nii-san! Are you even listening?” His fiery younger sibling questioned, crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes studying him for a minute. His sister was not a genius by books or by tact, the girl was a genius in regards to emotions. Those bright blue eyes of hers seemed capable of reading someone’s mood like a book.

Maybe she’d become a sensor nin, he’d read all about those in his shinobi books.

“Oh er, what is it Noriko?” He positioned his hand over his neck sheepishly, having not heard a word of what she said. The girl’s eyes softened for a second, apparently making some sort of internal conclusion on him.

“Tou-chan and kaa-san said to come to dinner!” She said with a huff, prompting their blond brother to speak up. 

“Yeah! You skipped last night, dummy! Didcha forget or sumthin’?” His even less polite brother declared, quirking a blonde brow upward. This boy really had no concept of the term, ‘inside voice,’ did he?

 _Well...Naruto hadn’t either,_ until the secretary managing his father’s library had started using one of her dreadful rulers to silence him during his visits. Needless to say, Naruto knew there was a time and a place for shouting.

‘ _Oh Menma, may Kami protect your poor body if you meet that hellspawn of a woman.. She’d kick your ass into next week.’_

  
  


Naruto only nodded in response, stepping out onto the cold wooden floors of the hallway. It was a stark contrast from the soft dark brown carpet of his room, as were the pastel yellow walls outside his room.

His walls were simply a pristine shade of white, which he held no qualms about. (Though, he was grateful for his carpeted floors.) The twins ran ahead, headed straight for their dining room. If there was one major thing these kids had in common, it was their appetite.

They must've inherited that from their mother, too. After all, Kushina had named her three children after foods. 

He awkwardly followed behind them, straight into the traditionally-styled eating area. His siblings skidded into the room, nearly knocking into the tatami mats around their low, wooden table. The ginger boy took a seat directly between his two siblings, while his father and mother sat at opposite ends.

Though he and his siblings were technically triplets, there was always a divide between them. A crack of sorts, keeping the distance. And in this moment, that metaphorical gap felt more like a canyon. Why? Because of the tense, heavy air around him. Every bit of Naruto’s alarm bells were ringing, and he’d never considered himself intelligent when it came to these things. Surely Noriko could sense the tense aura, but Menma was clueless. Hell, Naruto was surprised he himself wasn’t entirely clueless.

His mind was running through possible reasons. He hadn’t been in trouble recently, he’d done all his chores..

Could they have figured out what he knew? But how?

It’s his secret, he has every right to know it!

He was ripped from his thoughts and into the moment by his father clearing his throat. Naruto picked at his food bitterly, hoping he was simply misreading the situation.

Calm conversation broke out in the room, Naruto opting to just listen. He couldn’t bring himself to speak up, despite family dinner having always been his one chance to play around with his family. Dinner continued on without a hitch, and the ginger jinchuuriki collected the dishes. He brought them into their kitchen, opting to help his lovely mother.

Heavy footsteps approached behind them, footsteps Naruto recognized as belonging to his father.

“Naruto, is there something you’d like to tell me?” 

He paused. His mother tensed. An insufferable silence fell over the trio, which made seconds feel like hours. He sighed, trying to gather the right words. How could he explain that he knew his own secret? It was his secret! It should be his to know.

Before he could make any statement, his father’s voice spoke up again. 

“I know you’ve been reading about seals. What did I tell you about waiting until you were twel-”

“Minato, let him be. It won’t hurt him to just read about them.” His mother, Kushina, said. Her tone was soft, yet stern. Naruto’s indigo eyes locked on her like a lifeline, if she could bail him out, he’d be able to get away with.. The real issue.

He couldn’t help the anger building just below his skin, like a fire igniting his innards. _That's what his father wanted to lecture him on? That?!_

He finished drying a ceramic plate with his plain hand-towel. The wooden stool beneath his feet creaked just slightly, as he reached over to place the dish within the cabinet. 

“No, Kushina. He can’t get involved in these things until.. Until _then.”_ Minato spoke as if his eldest triplet was not standing right there in front of him.

“Until when? Until you planned to tell me about the seal on my stomach?” Kushina’s posture went stiff, straight as an arrow. That certainly had surprised the parents, they had never expected Naruto to discover his own seal... Not yet, at least.

“The seal shouldn’t be visible to you..” Kushina said under her breath, concerned for her son.

“I saw it, a long time ago. I was working on releasing my chakra, I found a method in one of his books.” He pointed his thumb at his father, his voice full of attitude.

For an 8 year old, he wasn’t particularly docile. He may have kept to himself, but he was a little terror once provoked.

Minato pinched the bridge of his nose in stress, sighing with great frustration.

“I know you probably have a lot of questions, but you need to wait until you can handle the truth. Until then, I can’t tell you what it is.”

“You think I can’t handle the fact that there’s a demon sealed in my guts?!” Naruto spat his words out like venom, fists clenched. His mother dropped the last plate on the ground, the sound of it shattering ran through his ears and seemed to echo in his mind.

His eyes followed the pieces as they scattered across the wooden floor, seemingly in slow motion.

“Naruto, honey, who told you about the kyuubi?” His mother asked, running a thumb gently across his cheek. The touch of his mother nearly made him forget the stormy presence of his father, looming just behind them. The way she grazed those whisker-marks on his cheek was.. Calming, despite the situation. Though Kushina was calm, she fully intended to pummel whoever dared to tell her little boy such a thing.  
She remembered how heartbroken she was when she was told she would become a jinchuriki, she could only imagine how Naruto must've felt..

Kyuubi, then? Well, Naruto certainly didn’t know which beast was in him, but he knew there was one.. If it weren’t for that book earlier, he’d have no idea that the kyuubi was the nine-tailed fox demon. Technically, without that book, he wouldn’t know much at all.

“...It wasn’t hard to find out. It just took some researching.” Naruto replied, his voice soft and unwavering. There was silence for just a moment, before one of his parents’ infamous arguments began. Kushina was angry with Minato, herself, and maybe the entire world. She may be weaker now than she was years ago, but her attitude remained. Her son had been exposed to this because of her and Minato's carelessness, and she was certain the truth would take a toll on him.

She wanted her son to enjoy his naivety and innocence while he could, to enjoy his childhood.. Minato did too, even though his overprotective nature actively prevented the boy from any semblance of a normal childhood.

“Kushina, this is exactly why I didn’t want him learning seals!” Minato's voice was utterly exasperated, but there was a pleading undertone to his words.

“He’s a bright boy, Minato! He could very well be a prodigy if you’d stop limiting him!” Naruto's mother’s hand moved to his orange hair, resting gently atop his head.  
  


“I told you before, he needs to wait! We can’t say for certain if he could even handle being a shinobi yet, it’s better to wait until we can make a decision.” Minato retorted.

“He can decide that for himself! Menma and Noriko will be, why can’t he?”

Minato stopped for a moment, glancing over at Naruto, before speaking up again. There was an unspoken fact to this situation, which Minato nor Kushina would utter in front of their son. Neither of them wanted to admit the full truth behind Naruto's seal, primarily, the life it cost.. And the fact that the seal was incredibly imperfect.

“Kushina, you know why.” 

“Because he’s a jinchuuriki?! You’re forgetting something Minato, I was too!” She said, her voice seething. Watching them argue was comparable to watching a tennis match, eyes shooting from one competitor to the other. 

“It-It’s different with him.. He was practically born a jinchuuriki. We don’t know how that could affect him-” Minato wanted to say that no one was sure how the Kyuubi could affect the boy, because the seal was imperfect. The chakra of the fox demon was weaved in with Naruto's so intricately that it had affected the boy's physical body. Could it affect his son's mind, too? Would use of chakra further the physical affects?  
Minato tried to answer these questions when Naruto was an infant, but he never could. Unsurprisingly, considering the man who crafted the intricacies of the seal was world renowned as a genius. Hiruzen Sarutobi had taken the original seal and modified it as he saw fit, and lost his life when he activated. Which meant that no one could answer or explain its intricacies.

But Naruto knew nothing of those things.

“It’s not like I chose to be a damned demon jail!” Naruto said with a curse, storming out of the room.

Kushina held a hand close to her chest, her face contorted with emotion. “Naru-”

“Let him go.” Minato said, throwing his head back.

She stopped for a moment, then shot him a glare.

“You can’t keep him from his dreams forever, Minato. He deserves the chance to chase them just like everyone else.” Her orchid colored eyes seemed to lack a vibrancy they had years ago, but the spark of determination still shined brightly within them.

“I.. I just want him to be safe..” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd another chapter down! I hope this chapter offers some insight. I apologize for any spacing issues, and the general shortness of this chapter. I know we haven't gotten into anything super impactful yet, but it's coming! These first few chapters are a prologue type of thing. 
> 
> Much love!


	3. Ten to Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years ten and eleven have been mostly uneventful thus far, aside from Naruto's siblings being entered in the academy without him. But this is the last bit of normalcy Naruto will have before meeting someone who will forever change his life.

Shortly after the tenth birthday of the triplets, Noriko and Menma began their crusade to have their parents enter them into the shinobi academy. Meanwhile, their oldest brother was trying to learn everything he could on his own. Why? Well, that was because he had little chance of entering with his siblings.

Naruto is supposed to wait another two years before his father would even consider entering him. As the Yondaime hokage, Minato held the power to accept or deny anyone into the academy. And over the past two years, his stance on Naruto’s dream to be a shinobi stayed the same.

 _“Just wait until you’re twelve.”_ According to Minato, that would be the best time for him to make his decision. He’d be plenty mature enough by then, apparently. In reality, it was because Minato wanted to keep a close eye on the boy as long as possible. To many, that would be understandable. But not to Naruto, he didn't understand it at all.

In Naruto’s mind, however, he was already mature enough. He was far more responsible and, _dare he say_ , intelligent than his siblings. _And so,_ yet another awkward dinner began.

“Oi, otou-san! Why can’t Naruto join the academy with us this year, we wanna be a genin team when we graduate!” Said the voice of his unruly brother, Menma. His wild blond hair represented the rambunctious boy very well, one look would tell you nearly everything about him. The bandage across the boy's nose told you even more. He was rambunctious, clumsy, and brash.

Noriko seemed to be egging the boy on, nodding triumphantly in agreement. Out of all the triplets, she was most comparable to their father, but still unlike him in many ways. 

Minato’s eye twitched, and Kushina was trying her best not to smirk at him. Naruto, however, did not have as much control over his facial expressions. He was torn between grinning or gasping in surprise; the latter, because he never expected his siblings to jump to his defense. His wide royal blue eyes simply widened, looking back and forth at the different members of his family.

“Well, your brother simply needs more time-”

“That’s bullshit, dattebane!” Shouted the redheaded younger sister, who promptly covered her mouth after realizing what she said. 

His brother spewed his tea in surprise, and Naruto couldn’t hold in a surprised chortle. The fiery girl’s arctic blue eyes met his for a moment, before flickering around the room. Noriko wasn't really the type to have emotional outbursts, so no one could say they expected her to say that. That was certainly something they'd expect from Menma, not her.

“Noriko!” Minato said, ready to lecture her for her language. Internally, Minato was groaning. 

The blonde father had been trying to convince Menma to stop cursing, but all seemed futile now that his daughter began swearing too. What's next, his eldest will develop a potty-mouth too?!

Kushina’s shoulders were shaking as she tried to contain her laughter, trying to appear more mature in front of her kids.

“Noriko’s totally right, pops!” Menma declared, taking a bite of his dinner. His lavender scarf matched his eyes well, but he was getting crumbs on it from his messy eating.

Both his siblings tended to wear clothes which matched their eyes, even after they began choosing their own outfits.

“Neither of you understand the situation.” Minato said sternly, finishing off his tea.

Naruto’s eyes fell down to his own tea cup, the steaming green tea sloshing within his cup as he moved his glass. He took a sip, feeling the liquid warm his throat as it traveled down his esophagus.

As much as he wanted to argue his case, he wouldn't. Not in front of his siblings, at least. They still didn’t know about the demon imprisoned within him, and he had no intention of telling them now.

“Nori, Menma, why don’t you finish your dinner and head up to your room? Your father, Naruto and I will talk about it in private.” She said, giving them her typical motherly smile. The grin didn’t quite meet her eyes, something only Menma failed to notice. Internally, Naruto was preparing himself to debate his father on this once again.  
He knew it probably wouldn't make a difference, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

The pair of children nodded, albeit hesitantly. Noriko took the last few bites of her food, downing her tea, and waited for her messy brother to finish. 

He stacked his empty plate atop hers, and ran over to give Kushina a hug. He nearly pushed the woman over when he practically threw himself into her arms, with Noriko following just a few steps behind him. The red-headed woman stared at her two beloved children for a minute, pinching Menma's cheek. When he began to squirm away, she chuckled softly.

“Goodnight, cuties.” The older woman said, placing soft kisses on the foreheads of each child. Noriko returned the goodnight wishes, stepping out of the kitchen.

Naruto knew his mother was serious, she didn’t even insist they brush their teeth and hair before bed, which she always demanded. Tonight, his mother seemed prepared to fight his case. He could only hopw that his father was willing to listen.

“Give him hell, kaa-chan! I want Naruto to go to school with us!” Menma said, flashing a bright smile. Naruto snickered at the sight of his missing front tooth, right before Menma scampered off for bed. Noriko had knocked it out during one of their typical fights, and the boy looked rather silly without it.  
The sounds of hurried footsteps grew farther away, and the remaining three became certain the pair of twins were far enough out of earshot. 

Minato let out a sigh, “Are we _really_ going to argue about this again?” He asked, looking between his ginger son and red-headed wife. Minato knew deep down that nothing they could say would change his stance on this. Out of the two parents, decisions like this were more in his domain. He'd always been considered the logical, intelligent one. So it made sense for him to be firm in his decision, right?  
Keeping his son out of school longer was logical.. Certainly, it was.

“It doesn’t need to become an argument. Don’t you think Naruto is mature enough? I do, and clearly his siblings do too!” Kushina said, her tone still motherly. She was careful to avoid being aggressive around her children, that was a trait she didn't want them to develop.

“Two more years is nothing! I just want to observe his seal a little longer, and ensure he has the kyuubi fully under control.” Minato clarified. He didn’t specify that the deadline could very well be extended, depending on how the boy developed over the next two years.

“Otou-san, at my age two years is like a decade!” Naruto said, exasperatedly. He knew deep down that pleading would be futile, but he’d never been the type to give up.

Kushina gave him a sympathetic glance, before leaning closer to Minato.

Her voice stayed low as she spoke up again, “Minato, he doesn’t have any friends because of you isolating him. Putting his siblings in school and leaving him out.. You’ll just be making it worse.” It was almost as if the woman was trying to not let her son overhear, despite the fact that he was only a few feet away.

Judging by the semblance of consideration that appeared in Minato’s eyes, it seemed he hadn’t thought of that before. Considering how Minato tried to involve things like emotions in his decisions, that wasn't really surprising. He was simply trying to be _rational,_ after all.

“He could make new friends.” The Yondaime replied, his gaze avoiding his eldest son. Minato felt truly terrible now, and Naruto recognized that look of guilt on his face.

“Could I?” Naruto mumbled below his breath, placing his plate atop the others. Tonight, he didn't feel like helping with the dishes. No, he'd rather just go curl up in bed. He went to walk out, shooting one last pointed glare at his father. He hated to admit it, but he was really beginning to resent the man.

And he hated even more, to admit, how jealous he was of his siblings.

He couldn’t deny that he loved the damned rascals, but..

Years of being isolated from them and being treated differently would cause a rift between them, inevitably. But it seemed to be growing, and that made Naruto uncomfortable.

As for his father.. Well, that’s another issue entirely.

In Naruto’s eyes, his father was the cause for most of his current issues.

His loneliness, his isolation.. He was the one putting his dreams on hold… He loved him, but Naruto wasn’t happy with the man.

Naruto had always idolized the shinobi of Konoha.

Perhaps it was because they were the few people he ever got to spend time around.

Perhaps it was because they were heroes, protectors, and absolutely bad-ass.

Or maybe it was because he was determined to prove he could become a great shinobi, despite the Kyuubi sealed in him.

But regardless of that, he wanted to be a protector. He wanted to be one of those legendary shinobi that protected the next generation. His mother was at one point one of the best kunoichi in Konoha, and his father was the Yondaime!

He would be nothing, hidden in their shadows, if he didn’t strive for excellence. Fame wasn't something he'd strive for, but he at least wanted to exceed his parent's skill one day. 

* * *

It was another bland year before he met a man who promised to make his dreams come true.

The rift between his family grew even larger, despite his sibling’s desire to include him and his loving mother. Everyday the rift grew larger, and everyday it seemed his father felt more guilty for its existence. 

Perhaps he was rightly to blame, or perhaps his good intention made up for his mistakes.

Nonetheless, his mistakes still had consequences.

One such consequence being, his son running directly into the claws of an old war hawk.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty short and uneventful, sorry! Next chapter is when Naruto meets Danzo, so just think of this chapter as the calm before the storm.  
> I had a hard time writing this and the next few, they all have time-skips to push them further towards the 'present,' I guess.
> 
> XOXO


	4. Meeting Danzo Shimura, and The End of Naruto Uzumaki.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto sneaks out to meet Danzo, and is whisked away into the ranks of ROOT.  
> Minato and Kushina are utterly heartbroken, while Naruto is being transformed into the perfect weapon right under their noses.  
> Time continues on, and Naruto awakes for another ROOT mission.

Naruto could remember the day he met Danzo so clearly, it was as if it had happened minutes ago. The eerie aura that followed the elderly man everywhere, the wrinkles littering his face.

The man oozed power in a way that no one else in Konoha did, a looming, gut-wrenching kind of power.

It was a good day, Naruto had followed his father to the hokage’s office. He was always quite happy when his dad let him leave the house, even if it was just to the Hokage Tower. 

He stayed in his father’s office, pretending to read as he overhead the numerous conversations that occurred. It was hard to act as if he wasn’t interested when he saw children near his age in the office, turning in their mission reports. Nearly all of them took notice of him immediately, but he glued his eyes to the pages of his book until their attention turned away.  
It never seemed to turn away, and Naruto quickly decided that people made him _nervous._

A few hours in, his father had to attend a meeting with the council. Things like that were bi-weekly, so it was of no surprise to Naruto. He shuffled into another seat, in the waiting area outside the counsel-room. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t attend one of those meetings.

Sensitive information could not be discussed around children, after all.

About an hour and a half into the meeting, the thick door opened and an old man cautiously stepped out.

Naruto’s eyes had risen just above the edge of his book, to look over at the person. He wore bandages around his arm in a thick cast, and even more white gauze wrapped haphazardly around one eye, effectively covering part of his face.

The aura this man exuded was rather grim, the ANBU positioned around the hall seemed wary of him. Respect and fear seemed to be the reason.

 _‘...If only Noriko were here. She could probably make some decent conclusions on this guy, just based on the emotional response he gets from others.._ ”

This mysterious man, Naruto thought, is most definitely a powerful shinobi. Shinobi of all caliber intrigued Naruto when he was young, but only the truly powerful managed to captivate his full attention. And although Naruto wouldn’t show it, he found this man very interesting. The surprise the orange-haired boy felt when the aged man’s one eyed gaze landed on him was impossible to deny.

Slowly, the deliberately heavy footsteps of the man grew closer, and Naruto flipped the page of his book.

“Hello, boy.” His deep voice greeted, a harsh rasp lingering like the scent of cigarette smoke in fresh air. Indigo eyes warily rose to meet his gaze, only to see the man’s one eye was closed shut.

For Danzo, this situation couldn’t be better. Here was the son of two legendary shinobi, unattended and ripe for the taking. Danzo held no moral qualms about kidnapping, especially when it was a child with such.. Potential..  
This was the neglected son of the awe-inspiring Yondaime, nose buried in a book.

“Hi.” The boy said, shyness shining through his curt reply.

“Tell me, what’re you lingering here for? Shouldn’t you be at the shinobi academy?” Danzo inquired, allowing the corners of his mouth to turn upwards in a slight smile.

To Naruto, such a smile felt.. Out of place. Wrong, even. Red flags were rising, but here was this seemingly powerful man, taking interest in him.

He swallowed, fighting his instincts to hide.

“My father- Er, the hokage, doesn’t think I am.. Ready for the academy.” The words stumbled from his lips, uncertainty laced within them. Was he allowed to say Minato was his father? Naruto wasn’t sure, he wasn’t sure of much at all right now, though.

Why was this man bothering to speak with him?

His mind was running a mile a minute.

“Ah, but your siblings are in the academy, no?” _Truly_ , this situation could not be better for Danzo. That blond tree-hugger of a Hokage had already made this easy for him.

This boy had already felt the pain of isolation, his desire for attention was so strong, Danzo could practically taste it in the air.

What a silly man, to leave a child with so much potential, alone and vulnerable.

Danzo could swipe the boy now and no one would be the wiser. The ANBU guards were just switching shifts, which meant little, considering the special guards near the Hokage’s office nearly always worked for Danzo. Even if they did see Danzo with the boy, they’d be incapable of saying a word.

But, that was still too reckless. Danzo needed to play his cards right. He couldn’t risk even a civilian seeing him with the boy. If Minato even knew of what Danzo was thinking right now, he’d be sent directly to the guillotine. 

“They are.” The boy grumbled out, a nerve clearly struck. Danzo noticed the peculiar way the boy’s ears twitched in agitation, piquing his curiosity. The shape of his ears was certainly distinctive, so Danzo supposed he’d have to teach the boy a henge to hide his more.. Animalistic features…

Regardless, for someone like Danzo, preying on the desires, the needs, and weaknesses of aspiring shinobi.. Would be a breeze, to put it simply.

Especially when that aspiring shinobi was a child like this.

“How strange, for him to _abandon_ a boy such as yourself. One with so much potential.” That caught Naruto’s full attention, his eyes glued to Danzo, hanging on his words.

He repeated the last bit back to the old man, prompting a very slight nod.

“Say, boy. I would be happy to give you the education you deserve, what is your name?” Of course, the old man already knew the answer. He knew the answer to every question he had asked, but words were essential to manipulation.

Especially questions, as they would show the boy his interest.

“Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, sir.” The boy replied, stars practically appearing in his eyes. The elder had him now, hook line and sinker.

Danzo leaned in close, his one visible eye opening.

“I expect to see you at the manhole on the eastern side of town, at exactly noon. It’s large and rather obvious, right near a gentleman’s club. Be there, or you will never get this opportunity again.” His words carried a newfound coldness, chilling the air around them. Naruto knew the eastern side of town wasn’t a place for children, he had overheard his father telling Noriko and Menma to avoid the people over there. He had called it the, “red-light district,” whatever that meant.

Although Naruto knew he shouldn’t have gone, his actions were quite predictable. Of course the impressionable young boy was there the next day, despite the unusual request and vague opportunity.

In retrospect, it truly was a deal with the devil.

But in the mean-time, Naruto spent the rest of the day under the watchful eye of his father, never mentioning a word of his encounter with Danzo.

* * *

Minato Namikaze knew of the shadow organization in his village, and he knew it well. Led by Danzo Shimura, ROOT was a branch of ANBU that was allegedly disbanded. But Minato knew better, and even if the organization was despicable, he had no intention of storming the base they had underground. It would simply be irrational. He did not know all of their operatives, someone could inform the war-hawk beforehand.

That was a minor possibility, but the largest of his concerns was what really prevented him from finishing the organization once and for all.

It could cause a civil war, and the civilians would likely side with Danzo. They would agree with the lack of empathy for shinobi, they would praise Danzo’s protection of them. And it would cause so much bloodshed. Something that Minato was determined to prevent. He did not want his children to face the cruelties of war, the way his students and nearly everyone before them had.   
  
But for everything Minato knew about ROOT, there were twice as many things he didn’t know. He certainly didn’t even think of the possibility that his eldest son, his determined, lonely little bookworm, had been personally recruited by Danzo Shimura.

And frankly, Naruto hadn’t quite known it yet either.

So Minato had treated that night like any other. They went home, ate dinner, and went to bed. He hugged his children goodnight, and was none the wiser to what was coming the next day.

* * *

The next morning, Naruto was waiting near that very smelly gentleman’s club, where the men visiting didn’t quite seem like gentlemen. His eyes kept bouncing from place to place, taking in this odd new scenery. Graffiti covered brick buildings, and scantily-clad women wandered aimlessly. The few that met his eyes gave him kind smiles, so Naruto supposed they couldn’t be that bad.

There were plenty of others out and about, too. He spotted several men and women with ink covered skin, and decorative metal pierced in their skin. He knew that things of that category were considered taboo, and thought to be unbefitting for shinobi.. Body-modification, it was called. He even spotted a girl with stitches in her ear, forcing the cartilage to a neat point, resembling his own ears. He couldn’t help but grin at that.

He knew his appearance was odd, but he never expected others to desire to have the same unnatural features as him.

Despite the fact he had snuck out of home, he knew his father would never look for him here. (If he even noticed Naruto was gone..) There wasn’t even a sober shinobi in sight, so Naruto had concluded this was a mostly civilian area that the Uchiha police force were expected to monitor. It had been easy to sneak out, easier than Naruto had thought it would be.  
His father left early in the morning, and his mother was a busy woman. On top of spending time in the mornings to ensure Menma and Noriko were ready for school, she also did routine chores with Naruto. 

So when she left that morning to go buy groceries, Naruto made his escape. And now, he was here.

He glanced down at the bronze manhole, with the leaf village symbol carved into it. He kind of regretted coming early, he felt a bit uneasy being alone here. Eyes glued to the manhole covering, Naruto pondered over it for a minute. It was either an opening to the sewers, or.. It could lead directly into the secret passageways hidden under the village, information Naruto was only privy to because of his reading. He read all of the information pertaining to the shinobi aspect of his village, including the forgotten passageways.

No one used them anymore, but Danzo had asked him to wait there, and wait he would. Even if he was anxious.

Naruto had never snuck out before, especially not to meet someone in Konoha’s sketchiest district. It was an exhilarating feeling, to say the least. To stand amongst so many people, who hardly looked in his direction. At any moment, someone could recognize him, and then..

Well, to take a phrase from Menma’s vocabulary, he’d be in deep shit.

At exactly five minutes past noon, Danzo arrived. He stood tall, posture stern and eyes like steel. Their eyes met for a moment, before Danzo spoke up.

“I see you’re serious, then.”

Naruto simply nodded, the crisp breeze blowing past him and cooling his very core.

“Well, there is much to discuss. I cannot tell you everything, until you’ve agreed to take the chance opportunity I've given you. However, I will not leave you in the dark.”

Danzo paused for a minute, his brown eye assessing the boy before him. Naruto fought the urge to falter under such a scrutinizing stare, it made him feel so tiny and weak.

The older man gestured towards the manhole, and Naruto took the hint. His hands grasped the heavy lid, pushing it off to the side to reveal a ladder leading down. He hesitated for a moment, before glancing around. Somehow, no one seemed to be paying a smudge of attention to their surroundings.

Naruto descended down the metal ladder, careful to not slip. Danzo followed, closing the lid and soon after stepping onto the solid pavement.

“What can you tell me?” Naruto asked, clearly both anxious and eager. His eyes were exploring the new scenery. If Danzo had been blocking the ladder, he might’ve felt the desire to escape.

“I will do everything in my power to make you a strong shinobi, the perfect _weapon_ for Konoha. You may even outclass many of Konoha’s best chuunin, in just a year or so under my training. In return, you must join my organization and leave behind your family. And of course, swear allegiance.” He said, matter-of-factly.  
His single brown eye seemed to examine Naruto, gaze unwavering as it searched his expression.

“Leave my family?!” Naruto repeated, his voice shaking. This man was willing to help him accomplish his one true dream, in exchange for the only bonds he had.

Danzo clicked his tongue, this would be so easy. So he loved his family, eh? What an easily exploitable weakness.

“Calm yourself, boy. It is a simple exchange. It’s not like you’ll never see them again, you can watch them from the shadows. And if you join my organization, you can acquire the strength to protect them. As you are, you’re useless to them.” Naruto’s breathing seemed to hitch for a second, egging the old manipulator on. The boy was easy to read, something Danzo would have to correct quickly. 

“Think about it.. Your mother, she’s rather feeble nowadays. And your siblings are so, naive and.. Childish. Your father hardly has the time to protect them, therefore the duty falls on your shoulders. They might miss you, but it would be for the greater good, no?” 

Naruto’s heart sank from his chest. Danzo was right, it was his responsibility as the eldest, and he was weak. 

“B-but, if I go missing, they’re sure to look for me!” The words slipped from his lips, a last ditch effort to convince himself. His voice showed every inch of his weakness, his fear, his emotions were laid bare by the trembling of his voice. 

“That is nothing to concern yourself with. In my organization, identities do not exist. Bonds, emotions, and identities would just hold back any real shinobi. They weaken you, weaken your resolve. You will be entirely hidden, you could even say that, You will completely cease to exist.”

Logically, Naruto could not deny Danzo's claim. He created numerous scenarios within his head, which verified the man’s ideology. Perhaps those things were weak, he had no reason to assume Danzo was wrong. He could always deny Danzo and wait another year, but.. This was a chance that could have so much benefit. Outclassing Konoha’s best in a year? That was something his father could never promise. 

And although he loved his family dearly.. Danzo had ensured he'd still be able to see them, even if they didn’t know he was watching over them.. It would be worth it..

And as things were.. It hurt for Naruto to be around his family. Especially in regards to his siblings, whom he had to watch get stronger every day. He heard them talk about all their amazing friends, their lovely teachers.. It made him so incredibly jealous, and his father was to blame for him being left behind…

_Maybe getting away from them for a while to train with Danzo would be good for him.._

“What will you take in return?” Naruto questioned. The moment those words left his mouth, Danzo knew he had the boy. Most men could not deny a promise of power, and nearly none could deny the fulfillment of their dreams.

It stood to reason that a naive child would fall for such a vague agreement.

“As I said, you swear allegiance to myself. You will obey me as your superior.” Once more, he was entirely vague. It wasn’t like he could tell the kid that he’d be reprimanded with torture, brainwashed, put through endless training, and turned into Konoha’s **_greatest_ ** weapon. After all, his parentage ensured excellence, and the boy is the nine-tails jinchuuriki.  
Perfect for a weapon, really.

“And.. You’ll teach me everything?” Naruto questioned, his blue eyes looking desperate.

“Of course.”

“Then.. I’ll do it. I can accomplish my dreams.. And protect my family.. I accept your offer.” 

Danzo once again allowed his lips to curve into a smile, much more wicked than the last. A low chuckle escaped his mouth, his eye closing yet again.

“Very well, I’ll show you to your new living space. By tomorrow, I’ll have assembled your new training schedule, and have a seal placed on your body. Do not be alarmed, it will be entirely harmless.. Oh, and, if you decide to disobey orders, disciplinary action will be taken. That will be your only warning.”

Naruto swallowed. Seals? Disciplinary action? He was beginning to question himself already....

Rightly so, of course. Within the next week, Naruto was settled in. He had a nice, plain dorm room for himself in the tunnels, a rigorous training schedule, and a seal on his tongue.  
Oh, and a shock collar for routine zapping whenever Naruto said or did something that Lord Danzo deemed unacceptable. It seemed everyone had one of these collars, which resembled leather chokers. Yet, Naruto was the only one getting shocked routinely.

Whenever he would forget to use the words -sama or lord when referring to Danzo, it was an instant shock. When he did not finish studying, or missed a question on a written exam. When he showed distaste, relief, or any emotion… His neck was red with burns, but he was becoming more and more docile.

Naruto held no hope of exiting Danzo’s organization now, no, it was much too late for that.

 _Much_ too late.

And meanwhile, on the surface of Konoha, Minato and Kushina were upturning the entire village in search of their son. It was especially hard to even start searches, considering most did not even know of the third triplet. Shikaku Nara, the jounin commander, demanded three separate groups of ANBU to search for the boy.

T&I were interviewing anyone who had claimed to see the boy, yet everything turned into a dead-end. No one from the red-light district had even been interviewed, despite shinobi searching the area anyway.

Minato began to fear the worst. What if he was killed, or kidnapped by an enemy village? His son only knew the basics of taijutsu and had no chance of freeing himself; he could only hope the boy was simply angry with him and hiding out somewhere.

But when time kept passing, and his son never appeared, his heart shattered even more.

It was an understatement to say that he regretted everything. The weight on his chest grew unbearable. He could still recall the night Naruto had went missing with perfect clarity.

* * *

_" Menma, go get your brother for dinner!” Minato said, just as he finished cooking with Kushina. Tonight, he would be taking a look at his son’s seal. He would examine it for the first time in years, and maybe then, he could let the boy into the academy. Maybe. _

_He had watched his son falter ever since his siblings joined the academy, and it was killing him._

_He had tried to convince himself it was only rational long enough, and tonight he would either verify or discredit that. Kushina had come up with the idea, and after she suggested it, it seemed painfully obvious._

_“ Don’t worry, Minato. I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed that you’re even doing this.. He hasn’t been himself lately, but i'm sure this could snap him out of it.” Kushina ensured, making plates for each of them. Minato poured tea, and began carrying it to the table that Noriko had set. _

_Kushina followed behind him, placing two plates before going back in the kitchen to grab others. Menma’s solitary footsteps scampered down the steps, and Minato furrowed his brows when he saw his son’s uneasy expression._

_“ What is it, Menma?” Kushina asked, placing the remaining plates in their respective positions. She was happy, her eldest would certainly get what he’d been desiring for so long. _

_Kushina was all kinds of giddy, she knew her son’s seal would be fine. Minato would have to put him in the academy._

_But then, she felt her joyous mood shatter._

_“ Naruto isn’t in his room! I looked everywhere upstairs and he’s not there!” _

_Minato and Kushina’s blood turned to ice._

_“ W-what?!” The redheads asked in unison. _

_“ He’s not here!” _

_And surely enough, Menma was right. Naruto was gone._

_That night, Kushina had sobbed until she fell asleep. She blamed herself, for being out running errands nearly all day. Minato blamed himself, too. He had shed more than a few tears, hoping, just hoping, his son would reappear tomorrow.  
_

But he didn't. Naruto didn't reappear, and somehow, life went on. Noriko threw herself into her studies, vowing one day to find her brother and make him proud. She worked to perfect her sensor abilities, hoping one day they would be strong enough to detect him. Menma on the other hand, began to start causing trouble. He skipped school, slept in class, bickered with classmates, and completely disregarded anyone with authority over him.

Both kids were upset, but Minato and Kushina were decimated. Kushina was working hard to condition her body back to it's full strength. She wanted to get strong again, so whenever they found her son, she could pummel whoever had taken him away.

And Minato..? He spent every minute mulling over information, leaving Jiraiya in charge of information gathering outside of Konoha. Jiraiya was working hard to find traces of his godson outside of Konoha. Every month he would meet with Tsunade, who would deliver a scroll of Jiraiya's findings back to Minato.

But Jiraiya never found anything of merit.

* * *

About a year into Naruto’s stay at ROOT, he had become someone entirely different. The constant shocks nearly every time he said a word, had taken his natural outspokenness away from him. He was completely mute, besides the occasional ANBU sign language he used to speak to his cohorts. It wasn’t like it mattered anyway, considering that members of ROOT were taught only to speak when absolutely necessary.

He was assigned the identity of Makito, which was derived from the same thing as his original name.

Narutomaki, the fish-cakes in ramen. They simply took the end, and added ‘to.’

Unlike most ROOT operatives, he still vaguely remembered his old name and identity. Most others could not recall any details.

When you joined ROOT, your previous identity was no longer yours. You were welded into a weapon, no longer a person. The person before.. Simply ceased to exist.

As Danzo routinely pounded into their heads, “You have no past, no present, or future. You are simply a weapon, you exist for Konoha’s sake. You only live to finish your mission.”

You had no rank, there was no genin or jounin. The closest thing to a rank you had, would be when you received your mask. That meant you were unofficially a member of ANBU. Danzo would have one of his pre-existing ANBU test you, they would relay your score to the ANBU commander. Who, in return, would allow you to exist as a semi-unofficial member of ANBU.

It was the only form of peace agreement between Danzo’s organization and the official shinobi of Konoha, and Minato nor Shikaku were willing to cause issues.

Not like the Yondaime had the energy for that anyway, he spent every waking moment working and searching for his son.

Within two years, Naruto, or Makito, had earned his ceramic ROOT mask. A kitsune, with beautiful detailing painted in red, orange, and yellow. Beneath it, the boy wore black face coverings, hiding everything up to his nose. It was absolutely necessary, according to Lord Danzo. His face must always remain covered, while his ears remained hidden under his fluffy orange hair.

Lord Danzo also claimed it was absolutely necessary for him to have that horrendous eye surgery, turning his deep blues into pale silvers.

It was more than a disciplinary measure, Danzo had insured.

His blue eyes were simply too telling of his identity. But his orange hair was not, for whatever reason. Perhaps because to change his hair, it would’ve been painless. Unlike an eye surgery. At least that experimental surgery had given him much better sight, now his sense of sight was nearly as strong as his ears and nose. Inhuman, but overall not that significant.  
At least Danzo had never minded his claw-like fingers. It was the only animalistic feature he was allowed to show. H e had been threatened to be, "de-clawed," before by Danzo, and the idea made him both terrified and extremely squeamish.

On the day of the mission which would permanently change his life, Naruto awoke like it was any other.

It was exactly 5:00 AM when he left his dorm room, walking down the halls to do his usual training.  
When he arrived in the underground training area, he was informed by Tanuki-Sensei that Danzo had requested him. Tanuki-sensei had trained him since he arrived in ANBU, practicing chakra control with him every morning before his taijutsu training. She was a woman of few words, just another one of Danzo’s perfect little soldiers.

He nodded, turning on his heel to head directly to Danzo’s office. It had been a year since he was last shocked, and he had no intention to be late and feel that hellish zapping again.

Naruto, or Makito, removed his kitsune mask from where it was velcro-strapped to his utility belt. He donned it without hesitation, expecting there to be a mission waiting for him. He anxiously fidgeted with the black turtle neck he wore, ensuring it was straightened and presentable. It symbolized another unspoken rule of ROOT, wearing nondescript dark clothing is expected of you. Black gloves and the hitai-ate are required, as are the black cloaks when necessary. Other than that, clothing could be decided by the wearer.

If he could, Naruto would have groaned. But outward expressions of emotion were weak, so he _would not_ do such a thing.  
He simply walked along as though he weren’t completely displeased to take another mission so soon. Hopefully it wouldn't be another assassination mission, Naruto/Makito never liked those.  
The more destructive missions, like sniffing out bases and burning them to the ground... Or, the ones where you get to intercept important deliveries, since they're always on a timer of sorts.. Those missions were more fun, but fun wasn’t something he was supposed to experience..

He focused back in on his surroundings, listening to the only sounds he could hear. The sound of his steel-toed boots echoing in the hallway as he walked closer and closer to Lord Danzo’s office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this chapter makes up for the last one being so short! Also, I had some issues with notesappearing on the ends of the wrong chapters..? Idk how to fix that, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to AO3. But nevermind that! I hope this chapter is enjoyable.  
> Kind of a vague ending, yeah?  
> Thanks for reading~  
> XOXO


	5. A New Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three, nearly four, years have passed. Naruto, now Makito, is sent on a mission that will permanently change his life.

Naruto bowed before his leader, ignoring the other presences in the room. He knew that Danzo’s secretary was always nearby, but this other person was unfamiliar to him.

“Makito, I’m assigning you to a new mission. You are to infiltrate the ranks of the Konoha genin, to gather information on up and coming shinobi.”

He gave a curt nod in response, expecting more information.

The other ROOT operative bowing before Danzo dared to speak up, surprising Makito.

“Danzo-sama, may I ask the purpose for our mission?” Naruto’s silver eyes landed on his apparent teammate. He wasn’t even wearing his mask, which was surprising.

Nearly every operative wore their mask, nearly constantly. 

But this dark-haired boy did not. He wasn’t even wearing a full-shirt, instead sporting a midriff top.

Whoever this boy was, he was clearly someone different. An unfamiliar feeling fluttered within Naruto, something he could assume was excitement.

“Many are questioning the loyalty of Sasuke Uchiha, as he recently has been marked by Orochimaru, a traitor to Konoha. Despite the dishonor his family faced after his older brother committed patricide, he seems to be having thoughts of becoming a traitor as well.”

Naruto had nearly forgotten the incident with Itachi. He had murdered his own father, and a few other higher-ups in the clan, then fled. Something about the venomous way Danzo addressed Itachi made Naruto question what part of the story he was missing.

“I have already requested that the Yondaime create another genin team, making the Konoha 13 into the Konoha 15. You will be placed with a medic girl, and I expect you to treat her as if you truly care for her existence on the newly dubbed Genin Team 6. Your jounin sensei will be a man named Yamato Tenzou. You are also expected to obey his orders, at least on the surface. I will repeat that this is an infiltration mission, do whatever you must to blend in with the other genin. In three months, the chuunin exams will be redone, due to the interference of Orochimaru. You are to participate if recommended by your jounin-sensei.” Danzo informed, his voice no longer carrying any hint of emotion.

That was yet another thing Naruto had nearly forgotten. The chuunin exams were held nearly.. A month ago? Only to be trifled with by the traitorous snake sannin. He dared to leave a curse mark on the young Uchiha, which is the reason for this new mission. The Yondaime had prevented any further damage being done, by confronting the creep himself. Rumors said that the snake had barely escaped with his life.

It’s expected that there will be no further interference.

The old war-hawk handed the ginger boy a file, who opened it with the slightest hint of hesitation. He skimmed it, before nodding and passing it to his new teammate.

“I’ve arranged for you two to share a living space above ground, the address is in the file. It is already furnished and stocked with everything you could need, but your personal belongings are still within your rooms here at ROOT. Once you have packed, you are to leave immediately and begin your mission. Dismissed.” Danzo finished, his one eye closing. 

Naruto and his new teammate quickly scrambled to their feet, heading towards the door.  When Danzo dismissed you, you didn’t wait around and ask questions. You obeyed.

The dark-haired boy pulled out a scroll, before gesturing towards it. “I have already packed my items into this scroll. I will help you pack yours so we may head out sooner.” The boy closed his dark eyes and gave a deceptive smile, which Naruto immediately realized was fake.

He stopped for a second, his head tilting to the side a bit before giving a nod.

Why was this boy bothering to fake a smile? ROOT operatives did not dare show emotion, faked or otherwise. He considered himself too expressive in comparison to other operatives.. But this boy wanted to be expressive.

He approached his room, unlocking the door and throwing it open. He looked to Sai, before beginning to sign something. “ _ Would you kindly wait there while I pack clothing and weapons?”  _ He finished his message by pointing to an orange desk chair.

“Do you not speak?” Sai inquired, taking his seat. It was no problem if he didn’t, Sai knew how to speak in ANBU sign language, and Konoha Sign Language. But in the books he read, communication was the key to good friendships.

Sai had been on a.. Personal mission, to rediscover his emotions and make friends.. 

Ever since had gotten back his memories, his view of Danzo and ROOT had.. Changed, to say the least.

The boy shook his head, and Sai found himself curious. Perhaps his ROOT-issued shock collar had caused lasting damage? The thought of that made Sai feel... rather uncomfortable.  Before he could ask anymore questions, the boy tossed him a scroll. 

The pure force of his instincts prompted him to catch it without thought.

His dark eyes looked over at the newly emptied closet, and the ginger boy in front of it. He wielded a chain-sickle in his gloved hands, preparing to seal it away. 

Sai knew that was a rather uncommon weapon, best used at mid-range. The practice is referred to as kusarigamajutsu. 

The user will often entrap the enemy with the chain, then finish them with the sharp blade of their sickle. Makito/Naruto’s had a very thick chain, so it must’ve been rather heavy.

If he had to guess, he assumed that weapon was for opponents who he couldn’t get close to. After all, his new teammate Makito’s file labelled him as a close range fighter.

The weapon was sealed away in a flash and Sai’s ginger teammate gestured towards the door.

The pair once again began walking down the halls of the root base, headed for the exit on the eastern side of town.  Sai had always considered himself rather quiet, but the quiet of Makito was unsettling to him.

Perhaps it was because he was desperate for his new teammate to befriend him.

“Makitoo-san, are you going to wear that mask all day?” Sai inquired, rather snarkily.

“ _ Sorry.” _ The ginger signed, removing his fox mask. Under it, his face was covered by a black cloth mask. Sai quirked an eyebrow, before a small smirk fell onto his face.

His dark eyes met bright silver ones, before asking yet another question. 

“Makiiitoooo-san, you are still wearing a mask. Are you hideously ugly under it?” He intentionally drew out the syllables in his new teammates name. 

Although he could not see the full face of his teammate, the sudden halt and narrowed eyes had Sai smirking even harder. He knew that question had gotten under his teammates skin.

Naruto, or Makito, found his new teammate to be… Endearingly annoying. Yes, that’s exactly it. Sai wasn’t the, “I wanna murder you and scatter your entrails,” type of annoying, no, he was the, “I wanna lightly punch you,” brand of annoying.

“ _ Very funny. _ ” He signed in response, this time, allowing himself to sigh.  He felt his own eyes widen.

Had Danzo-sama heard that, he certainly would’ve been shocked. His heart suddenly felt like it might burst through his chest, he hadn’t broken a rule this year! Yet here he was, expressing a  _ feeling _ .

His silver eyes darted around the passageways, calming himself as he realized no one but he and his smug teammate heard anything.

It was then he realized that while on this mission, he would finally be experiencing a bit of freedom. He could take off this damned collar and.. He could sigh all he wanted!

The sooner he got out of the root base, the sooner he could taste that freedom.

Meanwhile, his teammate had another realization. Upon discovering his teammate could talk, he decided he would Have To make him speak. Somehow. Some day.

The two soon reached the ladder that led into ROOT, the same one Naruto had used three years ago to find the place.

It was one of the few memories Naruto could recall with hardly any haze.  He could remember his family, but hardly. He could remember certain moments, like spats between Noriko and.. Menma? And his doting mother, and overprotective father.

But his bond with them was erased when he was reshaped into Makito.

Makito is the Kitsune ANBU, with excellent taijutsu, enormous chakra reserves, and unusual jutsu. He was also the nine-tails jinchuuriki, but that was a secret.

He was a perfect weapon, and that.. That is all he is.

He stepped onto the stone pavement, breathing the fresh air. Glancing around, he couldn’t help but feel out of place. He was a mole-person of sorts, only leaving for missions. He had practically no familiarity with the village he’d dedicated his life to.

You could tell with one glance at him or Sai- they did not get enough sun. Both of them had frighteningly pale skin, standing out as a unique characteristic in a village full of tan folks. Their dark clothes made them stand out even more, most people wearing bright colors or earthy-tones. He took Sai’s gloved hand to help him climb out of the ground less awkwardly then he had.

The pair’s eyes scanned the village, curiosity sparking in them. Sai recognized the area as the more criminal side of Konoha, and he would have to drag his teammate somewhere more befitting for roaming.

“Would you like to explore?” Sai asked, already knowing the answer.

“ _ Absolutely." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's chapter five! This is when the story takes its "dark" turn, now that we've had that big ol timeskip.   
> Makito/Naruto is fourteen now, and if you're disappointed that I didn't take the time to go through all Naruto's grueling time in ROOT before now, don't worry! Makito/Naruto will have several flashbacks to his time in ROOT in the future.  
> I actually have this story written up to chapter ten, and most of the plot I've mapped out too. I've been working on another story on the side, too. I'm not sure if I'll publish it, though, because it's heavily inspired by another fic.
> 
> ANYWHOOO, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I appreciate the kudos, hits, and comments so much!   
> They make my cold heart very happy!~  
> XOXO


	6. Chapter Six: Sai and "Makito"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited, old chapter from when I was still working on this story. Sorry for shortness and bad quality.

_**CHAPTER SIX:** _

* * *

_Sai and Makito!_

* * *

Before long, Makito and Sai had found themselves in the center of a shopping district.

They both had plenty of funds, supplied by Danzo, so money was no issue.

But frankly, neither of them had a clue of what to buy.

Well, moreso, Makito had no idea what to buy. Sai was buying books on friendship, and Makito was wandering aimlessly. Once his teammate had returned to his side, he wandered some more.

To be more specific, it was more like Sai was dragging Makito through crowds, until Sai went to look at something. Then Makito would awkwardly wait for him to return.

Everything was relatively peaceful, despite Makito being nervous around the plethora of civilians and shinobi.

Never, in the entirety of his life, had Makito been in crowds. Well, at least not for prolonged periods. ROOT had never allowed such things, you were indoctrinated by your lonesome, you trained in duos, you sparred in duos, and most of your missions were independent or with a squad.

So, he just awkwardly stood, until Sai would come along to drag him elsewhere, and that was fine with him. Everything was fine.

Until of course, he made the mistake of bumping into some boy in a leather jacket.

"Hey, watch it!" The guy said, to which Makito simply stared. There were two red markings on the boys cheeks, and a Leaf Village headband tying back unkempt brown hair.

Makito figured he probably would've worn his headband the same way, had he never heard of a hair-comb. The boy stunk of dog and cheap cologne, irritating Makito's sensitive nose.

"Ahh, my friend does not speak, so he will not be apologizing." Sai said passive aggressively, a fake smile plastered across his face.

Frankly, Makito/Naruto wasn't sure if his dark-haired… Friend? Partner?.. was defending him or just trying to agitate the guy.

Said guy was clearly a member of the Inuzuka clan, judging by the white large dog at his side, and the facial markings.

"Oh really? I bet I can make him apologize." Those words dripped of rage, but Makito couldn't feel even the slightest bit threatened. Matter of fact, this guy seemed to be a bit of a simpleton. Nothing worth fearing.

"Kiba-kun! Stop it!" An indigo haired girl rushed forward, placing an arm in front of him.

"Hinata, they started it!" He retorted, gesturing at the strange pair of shinobi in front of him. Her lavender eyes seemed fierce in their own way, even if the girl appeared to be more pacifistic than her teammate.

"This idiot needs to watch where he's going! I'd be happy to beat that lesson into him!" The boy, Kiba said.

He was unbearably loud, in Makito's opinion. Even if he didn't have such well-trained senses, he'd be too damn noisy for his taste.

"Can't you stop picking fights all the time?!" The girl inquired, her cutesy voice aiming to sound stern.

The bluenette, Hinata, looked up at the pair in front of Kiba. Her face flushed upon making eye contact with the ginger in front of her, making a small 'eep!' sound, before stepping back.

"My my, Inuzuka-san. Your reckless desire to fight makes it seem like you're compensating for something." Sai said, aiming to damage the egotistical boy's pride. The easily provoked dog-boy made a low growl, and switched into a fighting stance.

People nearby started to put distance between themselves and the genin, clearly anticipating a fight to break out.

Before the leather clad teenager could even make a retort, the third member of this team appeared. '

"Kiba, it would be most irrational to start a fight with two Konoha shinobi of unknown rank." Said a new voice, monotone and bland. The person it belonged to was clearly an Aubarame. Makito knew of each respective clan well, able to clearly discern that the boy in the beige, high collared jacket was an Aubarame. The Hyuuga and Inuzuka were also obvious, the girl's eyes made it clear she was a Hyuuga, and the Inuzuka's face tattoos were equally telling.

"W-who are you guys?" The one named Hinata asked, poking her index fingers together before suddenly tucking them behind her back. ' _A nervous tic?_ ' Makito mused, silver eye's studying the group.

"This is Makito. As previously stated, he does not speak. I am Sai." The dark-haired boy said once again, his dark eyes squinted as he smiled.

Makito switched from his usual ANBU code to normal Konoha SL. " _Hello, Hinata. Hello, Aburame."_ He signed towards the girl, and judging by her soft smile, she understood.

"What's he saying?" The Inuzuka grumbled, looking back and forth between his companions. The Inuzuka's tanned skin seemed to take on a pink hue, his face flustered in embarrassment.

"Perhaps you should've paid more attention in school, Kiba. I am Shino, are you the new genin team?" The boy in glasses questioned, his face lacking any discernible expression. Probably because of the giant collar of his jacket, which hid his face fairly well.

"Yes! It was a pleasure to meet you, however, my silent friend and I must be going." Sai dragged away Makito rather quickly, eager to go to their new apartment and read his newly acquired books.

The Aburame adjusted his glasses as the taller genin, Sai, dragged the ginger away by his wrist. It was almost comparable to a child dragging away a ragdoll, the way the ginger simply went limp.

"Freaks." Kiba muttered, turning around to walk the opposite direction. The bluenette let out a sigh of relief.

When they arrived at their apartment, they found it to be quite the luxury in comparison to their previous living arrangements. The air was cool and clear, unlike the stuffy humid air of the tunnels. The lighting was bright and everything seemed to be in peak condition, appearing to be new. It made Makito feel… Strange..

" _We are supposed to meet our teammates at a coffee shop, at 9:00 AM tomorrow."_

He signed to Sai, who was only paying attention because Makito had loudly cleared his throat beforehand.

"I am aware. Makito, my book says nicknames help to make friends. What nickname can I give you?" Sai's dark eyes seemed to stare into him, although his voice held a kind lilt.

Makito couldn't help that his head cocked to the side in confusion.

"It says, nicknames should be based on a trait or quality of your friend. Or even just a shortening of their name. Your only traits are being quiet and wearing masks." Sai said plainly, tapping his book for emphasis. The, rather thick, peach colored book has a title written across the front in bright red letters.

" _ **How to Endear People and Make Friends**_."

Makito couldn't help the exasperated shrug he gave, either.

He truly was enjoying being able to express himself. It was an indescribable freedom, one he never experienced around Danzo-sama..

"I will simply call you Maki, then." Sai said, turning those onyx eyes back to his book.

Okay, that was simply not going to happen, Naruto/Makito thought.

He certainly would not reply to _Maki._ That's a name far too cutesy and feminine for him, considering he's a teenage boy, and also a shinobi with a demon sealed within him. Oh and, not to forget, a murderer..Who may or may not have a love for destruction...

It simply does not _fit._

He frowned, Sai not paying attention to his signing.

The ginger boy's face slightly flushed in embarrassment, Sai was clearly ignoring him on purpose! The ginger approached the brunet boy sitting on their couch, snatching the book from him. Those onyx eyes met his own, and Makito quickly began signing a message.

" _Never call me Maki, ever._ " He placed the book back on his partner's chest, who was simply watching him with a smug glint in his eyes.

"What's the problem, Maki-chan?" Sai asked, playing innocent. The newly dubbed Maki's face erupted the color pink, flushing in embarrassment.

He grumbled, a sound similar to "Ugh!" Escaping his lips. He quickly covered his mouth with one hand, stepping back.

Making sound was not something Makito did. He did not laugh, or groan, or cry. Occasionally he allowed himself a sigh, but anything else was unthinkable before now! But he certainly wasn't to blame, it was Sai's fault for teasing him!

Why was his new teammate so obsessed with the idea of getting under his skin? Inferring he was ugly, and then nicknaming him 'maki?'

Certainly not a way to make a good impression...

Under his black mask, his face turned from something akin to a childish pout into an equally childish scowl.

He bonked his teammate on the head with a closed fist, before walking off.

Meanwhile.. Word of the two new genin had spread throughout the Konoha 15.

Even to the Ino-Shika-Cho formation, who was supposed to be training right about now..

"Choji, Shikamaru! Didya hear, there's a new genin team our age!" Ino chirped, running up to her team at the Nara compound. She didn't even bother to address her jounin-sensei, Asuma Sarutobi. He was smoking a cigarette next to a finished game of Shogi, clearly sour over a loss. Choji was sitting against a support beam, munching his chips, while Shikamaru laid in the grass to cloud-watch.

"You talkin' about Team Six?" Asuma asked, drawing all the attention to him. Choji and Shikamaru we're both curious now, they hadn't heard of a new genin team and were ready to listen.

The fifteen year old girl looked at Asuma incredulously, although she wasn't really surprised Asuma already knew about them.

"Uh, if that's the team that has Billboard Brow and two mysterious hunks, then yes." She said, folding her arms. Even though she and Sakura were practicing medical ninjutsu together, that didn't mean their little rivalry had stopped.

The constant competition between those two was exhausting for nearly anyone to be around. In recent days, though, Sakura rarely engaged with such spats.

It was so uncommon Ino was wondering if the two were even friends anymore, and Ino was even beginning to reconsider her choice of medical ninjutsu..

Shikamaru sighed, closing his eyes. Asuma didn't bother to stifle his amused chuckle, taking a drag off his cigarette. "I guess that'd be them. Haruno's pretty excited to have her own team, she was practically bubbling with joy in the Hokage's office." The jounin replied, leisurely as ever.

"So, who are they?" Choji asked, soft brown eyes looking over to Asuma.

The jounin hesitated, thinking over his words carefully.

"No one's really sure… Rumours say they're two kids from an illegal branch of ANBU that an old guy named Danzo runs, which is likely true. That being said, you should probably be careful around them. People from that organization.. Don't tend to be all there.." Asuma's voice turned serious, losing all of it's previous mirth. When Asuma shedded his leisurely, kind persona, his student's knew without a doubt he was serious. There was a sudden chill in the air at the mention of Danzo, yet only Shikamaru held any idea of who the man was, having heard of the man through his father.

Shikaku had mentioned distaste for the man, so Shikamaru knew he was trouble.

The blonde stuck her nose up, her arms still crossed over her chest. Being intentionally aloof wasn't an issue for her, she did it often.. Including when interacting with the previously mentioned Sakura.

"Team 8 ran into them this morning, Hinata said that one was mute and the other was nice enough. Shino didn't mention any weird reaction from his bugs, even though Kiba seemed not to like them.. Apparently, the mute one Makito, bumped him or something." Ino informed, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible.

It would be irresponsible for her to reveal her interest in a team which her jounin sensei seemed wary of.

Shikamaru, too, was interested. Though not for the same reasons, he had his own curiosities about the mysterious new genin.

He scowled, "What a drag."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, here's an update to the story I've practically abandoned. Which sucks, since I had a rough idea of how this story would continue, and it's end, but... Heh, oh well, I guess.
> 
> If I can muster the motivation, maybe I'll edit the following chapters after this and publish them too. But to be honest, most of my writing time goes towards writing AMS, it has the most readers, so I have to put it first. This story was originally going to be a Sakura x Naruto x Sai story, revolving around their growth. Yes, it was going to be poly. If I ever continue this, it will still be poly. Whoops!
> 
> This story was fun to write, but looking back, I feel like I've improved a lot since beginning this story. It's hard to jump back in without fretting over the old stuff.
> 
> THAT BEING SAID, I have not given up on this story. The truth is that I have a lot going on at all times and tend to bounce around projects. I've actually got a ton of other Naruto fics just waiting to be published in my google docs. Obviously, I can't publish these until I've gotten a lot more written, and until I've wrapped up at least one of my current stories. So, I'll probably churn out more chapters eventually... Just at a ridiculously slow pace...
> 
> Well, if you haven't forgot the existence of this story, I'm happy to hear that. Thank you for ever taking an interest in my work in the first place, frankly. Much love~


	7. Chapter Seven: Team Six

_**CHAPTER SEVEN:** _

* * *

_Team Six!_

**_TW: Trauma, abuse._ **

* * *

_A shock rippled through his body, causing his entire body to tremble as an electrical burn began to form on his scarred skin._

" _You will not show emotion. You are nothing but a tool, pretending otherwise will only destroy you. You exist to serve this village, to protect it's people. Including your past family, when you were Naruto."_

_He gasped for breath desperately, clawing at his neck as it finally stopped electrocuting him._

_His past family, he lived to protect them, and his village. It was his only purpose, to protect, emotions would only serve to hurt him._

" _Good, you seem to be realizing." Danzo Shimura damn near purred that,_

" _005, 024, take 010 back to the sensory deprivation tank, he won't resist any further."_

* * *

010, no, Makito, sat up with a gasping breath. He was wide-eyed and trembling, despite being quite used to having nightmares. He hated them, they made him feel so vulnerable. It was a psychologically damaging thing, to be constantly in fear that you might say or do something incriminating in your sleep.

Back at the underground base, he'd hardly gotten any sleep most nights, unless he worked himself into the ground beforehand. The thought haunted him, what if he woke up screaming or mumbled his past name in his sleep? Danzo would surely have him shocked, starved, beaten.. Whichever the aging man saw fit, he would enact that punishment with zero remorse.

And despite that he was far from Danzo, he wasn't far from Danzo's other soldier. Sai was just in the other room… And for all his roommate's abnormalities, he didn't trust him yet.

If Sai told, it would be infinitely worse than if Danzo found out firsthand. 010- _Makito-_ couldn't risk that.

Makito didn't go back to sleep, immediately getting out of bed to begin his morning stretches.

Despite that he was far from Danzo, he wasn't free of him yet.

He was still a tool, he wasn't allowed to have emotions, and he wasn't allowed to sleep past 6 AM on weekdays.

If you hadn't seen the way Makito's leg bounced beneath the table, you'd have had no idea he was nervous. The mask hid any expression that may be on his lips, which was the most obvious way to read someone.

Although Sai found his friend's outward display of anxiety rather odd, he didn't bother harassing him about it.

A young pinkette approached their table.

"Ah! Maki-chan, it seems our new teammate has arrived!" Sai said, throwing in the nickname he was using to tease his friend.

Makito promptly shoved an elbow into his side, shooting him a theatrical glare.

She glanced between the pair, giggling softly before taking a seat across from them. For some reason, she instantly felt comfortable with them, although they'd hardly said a word.

Sakura had been the one to arrange this meeting, suggesting it take place in her favorite coffee shop in all of Konoha.

Ever since she began training under Tsunade, she needed all the caffeine she could get. The mouth-wateringly delicious pastries were a bonus, as well.

"I'm Sakura Haruno, you two must Makito and Sai." She said, her emerald eyes continuing to travel between the pair. She quickly noted that both boys were fairly cute, ' _Ino is gonna be so damn jealous! Cha_!' Her inner personality cheered.

" _I am Makito, pleasure to meet you."_ The boy in the black face mask signed.

Sakura was suddenly very grateful for her overly-studious ways back in the academy, otherwise she may have never taken the time to learn KSL. (Konoha Sign Language.)

She was certainly no master, but she could at least understand him.

Had she known her teammate was mute, she would've taken the time to brush up on her skills. She would definitely have to spend the night studying the language again, not like that bothered her, though.

"I think I will call you Pinky." Sai said, his eyes meeting hers.

She snorted, her green eyes glanced incredulously over at the ginger boy and he began signing another message. " _Sai likes to give people weird nicknames. He thinks it's a symbol of friendship or something."_

He shrugged near the end, and Sakura couldn't help but giggle again.

It was then that their jounin-sensei arrived, taking a seat next to Sakura. Makito's enhanced senses' immediately took notice of the distinct scent of wood emanating from the man, which stood out in a room that smelled like freshly roasted coffee beans and sweet vanilla.

"Hello, as I'm sure you know, my name is Yamato." He said, giving a polite, close-lipped smile. He received nods in reply, and he immediately felt a bit lost.

Yamato had never been that great with kids, or well, teenagers in this case. He probably should've spent more time socializing with people, then maybe he wouldn't feel so awkward right now...

"Why don't you three tell me about yourselves? Hobbies, An interesting fact, dreams, dislikes, likes.." The man's voice trailed off, gesturing for someone to go first.

The pinkette spoke up first. "I'm Sakura Haruno! My hobbies are studying, volunteering at the hospital, gardening, and.. Reading, I guess. An interesting fact would be that I am... considered dual natured by many. My dream is to become a strong kunoichi and maybe fall in love along the way! I like flowers, strawberry scones, books, and helping people. I dislike arrogance, snakes, and a lot of other stuff." She finished, twirling her pastel pink hair around her finger.

Sakura couldn't help but play with her hair after she got her new hairstyle. Once she'd gotten over that odd obsession with the Uchiha, she found herself in a hair salon to get a more practical cut.

Tsunade had encouraged the idea, saying a haircut symbolised starting new, and personal growth.

(It also helped that her newly acquired straight-across bangs hid her biggest insecurity.)

"That's nice, Sakura. Sai, would you like to go next?" Yamato asked, the kind smile still gracing his features.

Sakura rested her head on her hand, looking to Sai as he spoke.

"Well, as you said, I am Sai. My hobbies also include reading and drawing.. An interesting fact would be that my jutsu relies on my drawings. I dream to protect Konoha, as I have already dedicated my life to it. Much like Sakura, I suppose I would like to make friends along the way. I like books, training, and pestering Makito is a newfound joy of mine. I dislike.. Liars, I suppose." He finished, clasping his hands together.

"You're up, ginger." Said Yamato, pointing at the last member of his team.

The pinkette next to him looked a bit unsure, for what, Yamato wasn't sure. The boy Sai was ordering a coffee. As the waitress finished taking Sai and Sakura's order, Sakura ordered for the masked boy.

When the boy began to speak in sign language, the older jounin understood why she seemed uneasy.

" _My name is Makito, I am soon-to-be 15 and I like training, food, plants, and enjoying the fresh air. An interesting fact is that.. I use an uncommon weapon, a kusarigama. Otherwise known as a chain-sickle."_ Mikato paused to think for a moment, he had plenty of facts more interesting than that. But most of them could not be shared, because it would be risking compromising his identity.

He knew that the interests he shared with his team were unconventional for a boy, but he didn't feel like admitting that he enjoyed committing acts of destruction and property damage to strangers. He didn't even like admitting that to himself. The only other thing he liked doing was pranking people, but he hadn't done that since he was a child..

" _I also aspire to protect Konoha with my life. As for my dislikes, I hate lightning jutsus, talking, and.."_

Sai made a nearly invisible wince at that comment, which both Sakura and Yamato somehow noticed, internally noting it for later.

" _Cruel people."_ The orange-haired boy finished.

His onyx eyed friend kept stealing glances at him after that point, and their various coffees were served not long after.

Sakura had ordered her and Makito vanilla-ice coffee, promising that it would be good. As for Yamato, he ordered a black coffee, while Sai ordered a Nitro iced coffee.

When the waitress handed the masked boy his coffee in it's plastic cup, the boy simply stared at it for a second, before tucking the straw under his mask.

Sai simply stared at him, clearly disappointed, prompting Sakura to snort and try to cover her mouth to stifle giggles.

"What's so funny?" Sai asked, looking at his bubbly teammate. He just wanted to see under the mask… What if his teammate really was freakishly ugly?

"Sorry, it's just that- the whole mask thing reminded me of how a bunch of us genin used to constantly try to de-mask Kakashi Hatake." She said, calming herself as she spoke.

What followed was Makito prompting her to explain, which caused her to regale her stories of genin shenanigans to see under that mask.

But meanwhile, Yamato was mentally throwing himself a pity party.

He was given a pinkette with an admitted split-personality, _(And if the rumours were true,_ _a very extreme one_.) a socially inept artist, and a masked, mute, mystery boy. He had no idea what he'd done to cause Minato to assign him to this clusterfuck of a team, but he was certainly regretting it.

' _These kids.. Are going to be a handful.'_ Yamato thought, running his hand through his hair.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weird, after saying I wouldn't do much work for this story, I edited and added to this chapter. It's ridiculously small by my standards, but I have done a LOT of writing. For AMS, Of Stygian Twins and Frightened Civilians, and I did nearly a whole chapter for another unpublished project. Woo.
> 
> Hugs and forehead kisses from this loser author, thank you for reading!
> 
> (By the way, I just realized I haven't published the funky little story I'm working on called Of Stygian Twins and Frightened Civilians on A03. I'll get to that soon. It's a horror/crack fic I'm trying out of pure curiosity, to see if I can. It will be a dark story like this one, so if you're interested in my writing, check it out maybe?)


	8. Chapter 7.5: Who the Hell is Sakura Haruno

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little look into Sakura, prior to the last chapter. I want to make it clear Sakura does not have DID, or any other mental condition which exists in our world. This would be terrible representation of that, and it's certainly not DID. Just a suppressed inner personality which she flips between when angered.

###  **_CHAPTER SEVEN.FIVE:_ **

_ Who the Hell is Sakura Haruno? _

* * *

Sakura Haruno was the uneven, final rookie genin. She is an excellent medic-nin, so her lack of team placement allowed her to be added to any team whenever needed.

Apart from that, Sakura Haruno was entirely normal. Right?

Although a fair assumption, that would be completely wrong.

Early in her life, the girl was plagued with a constant sense of inadequacy. 

The constant bullying eventually backed her into her own dark little corner, where her mind was left to fester as she kept her lips sealed shut.

This, festering of sorts, had first manifested as a split personality. A voice in her head to constantly feed her approval, to cheer her on, to badger everyone who was mean to her.

It was the part of her which she kept hidden away, out of fear of more shunning and isolation. But it just got stronger, and stronger.

Eventually, it became something else entirely.

Tsunade had called it some sort of mental illness turned into a strength.

You see, this strength wasn’t just some inner-cheerleader.

No, instead, the suppressed part of herself became a manifestation of sorts.

Sakura and her Sannin Sensei quickly discovered that, when enraged, a switch would flip within Sakura’s mind. Turning her from a gentle, kind girl, into a hot-headed, brash potty-mouth.

And with this switch, the girl’s taijutsu skill seemed to improve, along with a complete defense against most genjutsu.

(They discovered the second part after a few training sessions under Kurenai Yuuhi.)

She had gained a reputation of sorts in her village, being called “batshit crazy,” and “off her rocker.” 

But irregardless of what label you gave her, most people could agree with one thing.

Don’t. Piss. Off. Sakura. Haruno.

* * *

She washed the dishes with a happy glimmer in her eyes, today, nothing could piss her off if they tried. Today, she’d be meeting her team.  _ Her  _ team. Not a random team in need of a medic, or a random team lacking a member for one reason or another. No, today she’d have her very own, a jounin-sensei included!

No amount of her Inner-voice’s cynicism could ruin her mood, because today, she’d have a team!

The plate she just finished scrubbing and drying, slipped from its place on the rack. In slow motion, she watched it fall, attempting to reach it before it hit the ground.

Unfortunately, life could never be so easy for Sakura Haruno.

Her shoulder bumped the dish-rack.

  
  


She caught the falling plate, but she didn’t catch the rack.

Every single plate she’d washed, fell to the ground, and promptly shattered.

  
  


“GOD-MOTHERFUCKING DAMN IT!” Howled the pinkette.

* * *


End file.
